Hazards of the Job Next chapter up, Please review
by DonJohnsonFan23
Summary: Assassination attempts and blossoming new love all in a days work for Vice's best man..... Enjoy
1. Chapter 1

_**This is my first Miami Vice Fan Fiction – I am still a loyal Don Johnson fan and as the Miami Vice Season 1 & 2 DVD Sets have been released, so has my passion for this series been revived. **_

_**Please enjoy this story and forward reviews if you would like me to continue. Thanks….**_

_Oh at long last I have a few days to myself._ Ashley thought with a smile. She had not been on vacation in over 14 months and she really needed this 3 week break. As she is stops at a red light she sees a blue Cadillac pull up next to her. She admires the car and then has a look at the passenger. He looks back at her and as they check each other out they smile at each other. The driver, a black man watches them looking at each other and rolls his eyes. The passenger winks at her and she laughs and blows him a kiss. His eyes widen as he laughs. She has not been this carefree in a long time.

The light changes and Ashley speeds off first. Suddenly a truck on the opposite side jack knives and blocks the road. Ashley manages to brake and spins her car around. As she looks around she sees a second truck behind the Cadillac blocking the road behind them. Then she sees the Cadillac stop at her side. She looks at the passenger of the Cadillac and he is shouting at her "Get down. Call 911." He and the driver suddenly pull out guns and then Ashley hears gunshots. She feels a searing pain in her right shoulder. She gasps and bends down behind the steering wheel. The pain is intense. She uses her other hand to get her cell phone out. She also draws her maze bottle out wondering how much help that's going to be. There is glass flying everywhere and the sound of the gunshots is deafening. Ashley feels like she is caught up in world war 3. "911, What is your emergency." "I am on the corner of ….. mmmm Cedar and Jorissen road. And there are ….. men shooting at us." The shooting continues and Ashley wonders if she is going to get out of this situation. "Have you been injured" "Yes, I think I've been shot." "Okay, stay on the line. Help is on the way."

Suddenly everything goes very still.

"Tubbs, you okay?"

"Yeh man. You?"

"Just a flesh wound in my arm. I think one of them got away."

"Let me tie that up for you partner. I think you're right about the fifth guy getting away." Ashley risks a look around. She is shaking from the shock of everything that has happened and her shoulder is on fire now. Everything is still. She sees the black man tying a handkerchief around the white guy's right arm which is bleeding. There are dead bodies all around her car. Her shoulder is throbbing and she knows that she is loosing blood too quickly. _Calm down Ashley. Just relax_ she tells herself. The bullet had exited through the back of her shoulder so she was bleeding on the front and the back.

"I'm going to check on the lady." Sonny says.

"I'll give Castillo a call." Tubbs says as he move back to the Cadillac.

"Hi there, you can come out now." Ashley hears as her shattered car door is opened. "Mmm, stay where you are." Ashley moans as she pushes herself into a sitting position and points her maze bottle at him.

"Hey take it easy." Sonny says as he puts his hands up.

"The bad guys have been taken care of. It's over now. You're safe. I'm a cop."

"Yeh, sure and I'm Mother Theresa. Just stay away from me. I'll get out of my car on my own." Ashley says as she gets out of her car. She immediately collapses and Sonny barely manages to catch her before she hits the road. That's when he notices the blood on her shoulder.

"Damn, Tubbs She's been hit. Get an ambulance." Sonny shouts as he takes Ashley into his arms. He applies pressure to her shoulder and she moans, "Aahh, that hurts. Were those your friends?"

"Sorry, those were just some thugs being mean."

"Mmmm, Damn this really hurts. So are you really a cop?"

"Yes, My name's Sonny but I'll have to show you my badge later."

"Yeh right. That makes me feel a lot better." Ashley says as she squeezes her eyes against the pain. She has started to shiver and Sonny knows that she is going into shock.

"Just take it easy lady. Help is on the way." Just then they hear the sound of sirens and Sonny breathes a sigh of relief.

"Over here guys. She's been shot in the shoulder and it looks like the bullet has exited through the back." Sonny tells the paramedics. Ashley hears more sirens as she tries to concentrate on what is happening around her. Her shoulder is going numb with pain and she is feeling nauseous. There are voices all around her now.

"Ashley, Oh my God Pete, It's Ashley."

"Hi John. This is your dream come true. Now you'll be able to look down my blouse and I won't be able to stop you." Ashley says trying to smile.

"Yeh, this is what I've been dreaming of forever. God, Ashley you are supposed to be on vacation." John says as he peals her blouse way and looks at the wound.

Sonny who is still holding her asks, "Excuse me, But do you know her?"

"Yeh, she's a Doctor over at Biscayne Bay"

"Oh." Sonny says.

"John, I don't feel … too good. I can't keep my eyes … open and my shoulder …. God … it feels like it's been ripped off." Ashley says as she shivers.

"Ashley, I just want to get the IV line going and then I'm going to give you something for the pain, ok honey" They get Ashley on to the gurney and John works on her.

"Mr., let me take look at that arm." Pete says.

"mm okay, I'm Sonny. I think it's just a flesh wound." Sonny says as he observes Ashley. He is angry that an innocent person had to get hurt. Sonny sees that Castillo has arrived and he is talking to Tubbs. As Pete probes the wound Sonny winces.

"The bullet is still lodged, so you are probably going to need surgery. I'm going to request a second ambulance so that.."

"I'll ride with her if that's okay."

"Pete, Let's move. Ashley's passed out." They get Ashley into the ambulance and Sonny climbs in after them. His arm is throbbing now that the adrenaline has worn off. Castillo tells him that they will see him at the hospital once they clear the scene.

The ER is like all ER's, chaotic. News spreads like wild fire that Ashley has been shot. Ashley is rushed into the trauma room and Doctors immediately start working on her. Sonny is placed in a cubical opposite the trauma unit and he can see what is going on. "Sonny, I am Dr Spencer. Let's have a look at that arm." As the Doc probes the wound Sonny jerks "hooaaa, Take it easy doc."

"Sorry. It looks like the bullet missed the bone, but it is lodged just in front of it. We are going to have x-rays taken and then prep you for surgery to remove the bullet."

"Okay. How long will the recovery be?" Sonny asks while watching the trauma room. "About 2 days in the Hospital and then a week or two depending on how quickly you heal." "And what about Ashley?"

"I cannot discuss her with you as I am not attending her and you are not a relative." "Damn it, she got shot as a result of my case. I need to know that she is going to be okay." Sonny shouts.

"Calm down Sonny. As soon as the attending Doctor comes out, I'll find out how she's doing and let you know."

"Okay. Thanks." Sonny says.

Just then Ashley is quickly wheeled out of the trauma unit.

"What's up Jonathan?" Dr Spencer asks.

"Surgery to repair her subclavian artery. Nancy organizes 2 pints of B+ blood stat and have a 3rd pint waiting in the ward. She's lost a lot of blood."

"On it Doctor." Sonny hears as she is wheeled away.

Sonny's surgery is scheduled after Ashley's. He is impatient to know how she is doing as her surgery was over 2 hours long. Tubbs and Castillo arrive as Sonny is being prepped. "How you doing partner?" Tubbs asks.

"I've been better. I'm going into surgery now to remove the slug. Ashley's been in for over 2 hours and no one will tell me what is going on with her."

"I'll find out for you and let you know once you are out of surgery." "Sonny take it easy. It's been a rough morning for all of you and you need to stay focused." Castillo says as Sonny is wheeled to the OR.

Sonny wakes up in a hospital ward. It takes him a few moments to remember what has happened and where he is. He looks around the room and sees the curtains have been drawn around the bed next to him. He hears, "Ashley, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine Pat. Besides you know that the shot you gave me is already working to relieve the pain. So Pat what are the damages and don't lie to me."

Pat smiles and says, "I do not need to lie to you this time. You are going to be fine. There was no nerve damage and the bone was not even fractured." Sonny releases a breath that he did not even know he was holding when he hears this.

"You do know that you will need 2 weeks to heal and then a few physio treatments and no heavy lifting for at least 2 months. So what actually happened."

"Yeah tell us please."

"Okay, I was on my way to the beach to enjoy the breeze and the sun. When I stopped at the red light I looked over at the car that pulled up on my right and me and the passenger from the other car checked each other out and I think that I blew him a kiss."

"You didn't." a lady giggles.

"I did and he winked at me. He was actually quite handsome."

"Then what happened?"

"Then the light changed and I pulled off and then all hell broke loose." Ashley's voice becomes strained.

"There was shooting and the sound was so loud and the pain was intense and I thought that that was it. I was going on permanent leave." Ashley shudders.

"Oh Ashley, don't say any more. You're safe now and it all over."

"By the way, the cop that came in with you in the ambulance in doing well. His surgery was smooth sailing and he should be up any time now. His actually quite good looking… everywhere."

"Jen, were you the prepping nurse?"

"I was.." Jen giggles. Sonny does not know whether to laugh or to choke.

"Well I saw him first so you'll have to wait until I'm done with him." Ashley commands with laugher in her voice.

"Yes boss" Jen grins.

Ashley is starting to feel tired and yawns. "Which ward is the cop in?"

"He's right next to you."

"What! Oh my God he is right here and you had me talking about him. What if he heard us?" All three women go still.

"Pat, please, see if he is awake?" Jen whispers.

"Oh he would have said something if he was awake." Pat whispers as she peeks around the curtain.

"Sonny closes his eyes and pretends to be sleeping. "His asleep so you 2 can relax." The other two women sigh is relief.

"Let's get back on duty Jen and Ashley you take it easy now and don't even think about getting out of that bed."

"I'm not thinking of leaving this bed for at least a few days." Ashley says as she yawns again.

"Good." Pat says as she opens the curtains around Ashley's bed.

Sonny pretends to be waking up. "Detective, Hi, I'm nurse Pat. How are you feeling?" Ashley tries to look over at Sonny but he is looking at Pat. Jen and Ashley exchange a look that says thank God they stopped chatting about him in time.

"Mmm I'm okay I think. My arms a bit stiff but the pain is bearable."

"Good, Dr Spencer will be into see you shortly." Pat says as she and a smiling Jen leave the room. Just then Tubbs and Castillo walk in,

"Crockett, how you feeling?" Tubbs asks.

"Not bad. What did you learn at the scene?"

"It was Rameros' boys and they apparently have a hit out on a set of new players, namely you two."

Ashley tries to eves drop but she is suddenly so sleepy. She realizes that it must be the medication that Pat gave her.

"So where does that leave us?" Sonny says.

"Well we can assume that they know that you are in the hospital and that your partner is fine. We have posted a few more officers around the hospital to keep an eye on you." Ashley drifts off to sleep.

"You think that they will try something while I am in hospital?"

"I would not be surprised. If they do pull something, I want to nab them and make them roll on Rameros."

"So that means that I must just sit tight and see what happens."

"You got it man. We will handle this one for you." Tubbs says as he hands Sonny his gun back. Sonny puts it under his pillow.

"What about the Doc here," Sonny says as he looks over to Ashley who is fast asleep. "We'll protect her too, since the guy that got away has definitely seen her."

"Okay Lt."

The next morning Ashley wakes up feeling much better. The pain is still there but it is bearable. She looks around the ward and catches Sonny sitting up in the bed, watching her.

She smiles at him and says, "Good morning."

"Good morning to you too. How are you feeling?"

Ashley grins, "That's usually my line. I'm okay. How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing good."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"mm I had a dream yesterday about two women discussing me and my body. Was that a dream or did you hear anyone talking about me?" Sonny asks with a mischievous grin on his face.

Ashley's face turns bright red as she tries to answer him. "I … I think that you were dreaming." She says in a choked voice.

"Are you sure? I'm sure that I heard one of the ladies say that she wanted to finish with me first."

"Oh God" Ashley whispers as she covers her face with her good hand. "Listen, I was under a lot of medication so I do not know what was said and what was not." Ashley eventually says.

"Well that's fair. But if you know the one that wants to finish with me tell her that I would like that very much."

"Really?"

"Really" he says laughing.

"Oh jeez you are incorrigible." Ashley says as she joins in his laugher.

Ashley and Sonny spend the rest of the day getting to know each other. Sonny moves around the room while Ashley is still too weak to get out of bed. The officer guarding their room checks in on them regularly. By mid afternoon both of them decide to take a nap.

As they are sleeping, a nurse enters the room. He goes straight to Sonny's IV line. Ashley wakes up suddenly and sees the nurse. She does not recognize him.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Ashley asks. The guy ignores her as he starts to inject something into the IV line. Sonny jerks awake and realizes that something is very wrong here. He immediately tries to pull the IV line out of his arm. Ashley presses the buzzer for the nurse's station and she screams at the guy to get out. She tries to get out of the bed to stop him and he turns around and slaps her, stunning her for a moment. Sonny punches him in his stomach. His face twists into an angry scrowl as he hits Sonny on his injured arm. Sonny shouts out in pain as he collapses back onto the bed.

"Goodbye, Burnett." Sonny grabs his gun from under the pillow and shoots the guy. The guy collapses in the doorway. Sonny manages to pull the IV line out just as Pat, Jen and the officer arrive.

"What's going on? Oh my God this man is dead."

"Sonny's arm is bleeding and his IV line is out." Jen says as she steps over the dead man and rushes to Sonny's side

"Sorry Sonny, I was in the jon. I'll get Castillo." The officer says.

Ashley says, "That guy injected something into Sonny's IV Line. Get the lab to test it and see what it is asap. And get Dr Spencer in here." Pat and Jen rush around to do what is needed. Ashley gets out of bed and on shaky legs goes to Sonny. She puts her hand on his good shoulder and squeezes it.

"Sonny, are you okay?" She asks as she watches him. Through gritted teeth Sonny replies, "No!" Then he says, "I'm sorry that he hit you. Damn but this pain is worse than when I got shot. I hope that I got that IV line out in time." Sonny says as he holds his arm and squeezes his eyes shut. Ashley is thoroughly shaken by what has happened. She is just thankful that she woke up when she did.

At the same time, as Tubbs is getting out of his car in the hospital parking lot, a guy comes up behind him. Tubbs sensing that something is wrong turns around just in time to prevent the guy from injecting him with something. Tubbs and the man struggle and eventually Tubbs knocks him out. Tubbs cuffs the guy inside his car. He calls the Lt and tells him what has happened. He picks up the syringe and rushes into the hospital, worrying that something may have happened to his partner.

"Sonny!" Tubbs shouts as he enters the room. He sees the blood on the floor and then he sees that Sonny's arm is bleeding. He is perspiring and in a lot of pain. Ashley is standing next to him holding his shoulder and Dr Spencer and nurses are trying to stop the bleeding and to calm him down.

"What the hell happened here?" Tubbs shouts.

"Someone tried to kill him Tubbs. Sonny shot the guy and the officer removed the body from the room" Ashley says in a shaky voice.

"Ashley, get back into your bed. It's too soon for you to be up." Ashley is feeling a bit weak. She strokes Sonny's head and as she moves back to her bed she tells Tubbs, "This guy injected something into his IV line but Sonny was able to pull the line out almost immediately. The guy then hit him and said Good bye Burnett. That was when Sonny shot him."

"Damn they tried to do the same thing to me in the parking lot."

Eventually the Doctor stops the bleeding and they stitch and redress the wound. They get another IV line going and give Sonny something for the pain. They also draw blood to see if whatever was in the syringe has made it into Sonny's system.

Tubbs can see that Sonny is furious and he decides not to speak to him just yet. "Ashley, what happened to your face?" Tubbs asks as he notices the dark bruise on her cheek.

"Oh," she says as she caresses her cheek. "He struck me when I tried to get out of the bed."

"Damn that bastard!" Tubbs swears.

"I'll get you an ice pack for it honey." Pat says as she leaves the room.

"Here take this, I'm sure that it is the same thing they tried to shoot me up with. Let us know as soon as you know what it is." Tubbs says as he hands the syringe over to Dr Spencer. Castillo walks in as Sonny's bloody bedding is being changed and Sonny is leaning against the walk cradling his injured arm. He is shaken up and very upset. Castillo also notices the bruise on Ashley's face.

"I want 24 hour surveillance on the hospital and I want them moved to another room immediately. I want two officers on duty outside their room at all the times and I want Gina and Trudy manning the nurse's station. Sonny, are you okay?" Castillo asks.

"Just great Lt. Where was the damn officer that was supposed to be outside?" Sonny shouts.

"I'll sort him out. You just calm down. This won't happen again."

"Yeh Marty, it won't because I won't let it."

"Did you recognise the guy?"

"No I was too busy trying to get the IV line out."

"Tubbs, where is the body? I want an ID on the guy asap."

"I'm on it Lt. Stan is taking the guy from my car down to the office. Maybe he will give us the lead that we need. Sonny, take it easy partner. We'll get these guys."

"Thanks buddy." Sonny says. He has calmed down a bit and sits in a wheel chair as Pat wheels him to his new room. Ashley is wheeled out behind him.

As soon as they are in the ward, as Pat is settling Sonny into his bed he says, "Sister I'm not feeling too good."

"What's the matter honey,"

"mmm My stomach, hell I think I'm going to throw up."

"Hang on honey, here's a bag." Pat says as Sonny starts to heave into the bag. Jen who is settling Ashley into her bed watches and then looks at Ashley. They both know that whatever was in the syringe has made its way into Sonny's system.

"The excitement was just too much for you, that's all." Pat says as she wipes his mouth. Castillo standing near the window observes this and wonders whether Sonny is going to be okay.

Just then a lab tech runs in to the room follows by Dr Spencer.

"What is it Wiley." Ashley asks.

"It is arsenic mixed into a saline solution to make it injectable." The lab tech says. _Oh no_ Ashley thinks.

Dr Spencer says "Sonny, you have a fair dose in your system. But it is not lethal." Ashley sighs in relieve. But she knows that Sonny is going to feel miserable for the next few days. "But it is going to make you really sick." Dr Spencer says.

"I think it's already doing that, Pat…"Sonny says as he starts to heave into the bag again."

"How are you going to treat it, or will we have to wait for it to work itself out of his system?" Castillo calmly asks while keeping an eye on Sonny.

"I'm going to put him on a course of EDTA for the next week."

"What will that do?" Sonny asks weakly. "It will draw the toxins out of the cells and flush it out of your system." Ashley says as another nurse comes into the room with a tray.

Dr Spencer starts to prepare a syringe with what looks like a large dose of medication. "Sonny I need you to roll over to your left. Okay that's it." Pat says as she rolls down his blanket and swabs his butt. Sonny hates needles and this one looks like to mother of all needles.

"Make it fast Doc. I hate needles." Sonny says as Spencer injects him.

"mmm Damn."

"Almost done Sonny." Pat says as Spencer withdraws the needle. Jen and Ashley look at Sonny's butt and then at each other and silently agree that it is a nice butt. "How long before I will feel the effects of that shot?" Sonny weakly asks his he rolls over. His head is now throbbing. He does not know whether to hold onto his aching arm or cramping stomach or throbbing head.

"By the next shot later this evening, most of the symptoms should be bearable. We are going to sedate you now to minimize your discomfort." Dr Spencer says as the nurse starts to inject a clear solution into his IV line. "No!" Sonny tries to shout and then holds his head. "Sonny I will be here until you wake up. So rest easy." Sonny hears Castillo say as he passes out.

"You will tell me who hired you and you will tell me now!" Tubbs shouts as he hits his hand on the desk.

"I dunno what you talking about mon." the black guy from the parking lot says.

"Look at this mon. This is jour man who died in the hospital," Tubbs says imitating the guy's accent.

"And if you don't want to end up like him, you will tell me what I want to know." "Like I say mon, I don't know what you talking about." The guy replies. Frustrated Tubbs opens the door to the interrogation room and comes back to the desk with a syringe.

"Do you know what this is?" Tubbs asks him. For the first time the guy looks scared. "Hey mon, keep that needle aaway from me." He says as he backs up. "Why mon, I was thinking of injecting this into your vein and then watching what it does to you sorry ass." Tubbs says as he grabs the guy's collar.

"No, Mon jou can not doo that. Jou a cop. Jou got rules."

"You better start telling me what I want to know or," Tubbs threaten as he pricks the guy in this neck. "Okay, Okay take that needle out of me!" The guy screams.

"Talk!"

"I was contacted by Manuel. He say that Mr Ramores has a job for me. He says I must get rid of a black guy driving a cadi in the parking lot at Biscayne Bay. He give me the needle. When I asks him what it is? He says it is something that will make the stinking cop suffer before he die." Tubbs is stunned. _Damn they knew that we were cops, but how?_

"What about your friend?"

"He was to get the cop that was in the hospital."

"Where is Ramores now?" "I dunno mon. That is all I know."

"Are you suppose to call Manuel when the job is done?"

"Sie. And then he will pay me."

"Good, you are going to call him and tell him it is done and that you want him to give you the money personally."

"No, why he will kill me if he finds out I am lying."

"I will kill you if you don't do as I say." Tubbs says as he leaves the room.

"How's Sonny Lt?" Tubbs asks.

"The poison is arsenic. Sonny is ill with the side effects of it but the doctors have started a treatment to get rid of the toxins from his system. He will have to take it easy for the next week or 2 until the effects of the poison wear off."

"Damn that bastard. Lt, they knew that we were the heat." Tubbs says as he fills Castillo in on everything that he has learned. They decide to set a trap to catch Manuel and to use him to get to Rameros.

Sonny wakes up at about 11:00pm. His head is still throbbing but his stomach seems to have settled down. He looks around the room and sees Castillo sitting next to his bed. He is amazed that Castillo is still there, at his side.

"How are you feeling?" Castillo asks him.

"I'm a bit better. Thanks Marty." Sonny says. Ashley stirs and moans in her sleep. Just then a nurse enters the room and says,

"Sonny, it's time for the next shot." She administers it as Sonny swears under his breathe. Ashley seems to be getting more restless and starts tossing and turning in the bed. The nurse and Castillo go over to her bed.

"I think she's have a nightmare. Ashley, Ashley." the nurse says.

_The noise is so loud. There are bullets flying around them.. Oh God we are going to die. No I need to get out. I can not breathe. Oh not Sonny. He is hurting Sonny. I need to help him_.

"No, No!" Ashley moans. _Someone's holding her down. They are going to hurt me_

"No leave us alone!" Ashley shouts as she fights the nurses restraining hands. _They are going to shoot_.

"Sonny!" Ashley screams and jerks awake.

"Ashley it was only a dream. Ashley calm down." Ashley gulps in a few breathes of air, and holds onto to Sally's arm.

"Sonny," a breathe, "Is Sonny… Okay." She says with tears in her eyes.

"Ashley, I am okay. Are you okay?" Sonny says as he watches her. Ashley looks around the room and sees Castillo and then she sees Sonny and she breaks down.

"Oh, I thought … the dream … oh my God. … What's happening to me?"

"It's just a delayed reaction to everything that has happened. You are going to be fine and so is Sonny." The nurse says as Ashley continues to cry on her shoulder. Castillo closes the curtain around Ashley's bed so that she can have some privacy. Sonny and Castillo look at each other and understand how hard it would be for a civilian to cope with all that has happened. In fact Castillo was a bit surprised that Ashley was reacting only now.

Soon the sounds from behind the curtain calm down and eventually stop.

"Better now?" Sally asks as she tucks Ashley back into the bed.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I do not understand what happened."

"Don't analyze it Ashley. You have had a very traumatic experience and this time you could not remain the strong one and not react. It was just too much in too short a period and I think that it is a good thing that you let it out."

"Sally, you will keep this between us. I do not what anyone wondering whether I can handle tough situations or not."

"Oh Ashley, you are one of the strongest people I know and in the 4 years that we have worked together this is the first time that I have seen you cry. So have no fear that we will think of you any differently now. At least now we know that you are human just like the rest of us." Sally says with a smile. "Thanks Sally" Ashley says with a smile.

**_Please Review and let me know if you want more..._**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thank you for the review. Here's the next Chapter. Enjoy and please review.**_

The next day Sonny wakes up slowly and as he groggily opens his eyes he sees that he is still in the hospital. _So it was not all a dream. I really am here and I have been shot and poisoned. _He hears his stomach growl and realizes that he is starving. He remembers that the last time he ate was after coming out of surgery and he had thrown up everything as a result of the poison. His head is throbbing as is his arm. But he is glad to feel a bit more like himself than he had the previous day.

"Mmm" Sonny hears and looks around. He spots Ashley lying in the bed next to him, delicately stretching her arm above her head. Her back is to him and the beige blanket has fallen to her hips. He widens his eyes as he gets an unexpected glimpse of her bare back and the gentle rise of her butt before she turns over. Her gown in the front is off her uninjured shoulder hinting at the generous swell of her left breast and Sonny thinks, _she is beautiful, creamy and soft all over. It would be wonderful to get lost in this woman._

"Good morning Handsome." Ashley drowsily says as she sees Sonny watching her from the other end of the room. "Oh I mean Sonny." Ashley corrects as she realizes her slip.

"I liked the first greeting more." Sonny says with a grin.

"I'm still half asleep so I can not be held responsible for my words or actions." She says as she straightens her hospital issue gown, slowly gets out of bed and proceeds to the bathroom. She makes sure to hold the back of her gown closed and Sonny says, "It's a pity you remembered that."

"Naughty Sonny. But then I like Naughty." Ashley says as she closes the bathroom door to Sonny's bark of laughter.

Tubbs walks into the room a few minutes later and finds Sonny grinning.

"Glad to you that you are feeling better, partner." Tubbs says as he thinks back to how anxious he was the previous day after the attack on Sonny.

"You know what Buddy, I am feeling a bit better. Still have a delightful migraine and a pulsating arm but at least I'm not throwing up. But then again I have not had breakfast yet." Sonny says as Tubbs stands at the foot of the bed.

"Sonny it's almost noon." Tubbs says and smiles as he sees the shocked look on Sonny's face.

"What, hell they must have knocked me out pretty good. What's going on with the case?" Sonny asks as he looks Tubbs straight in the eyes and silently communicates that he wants all the details.

"They knew that we were cops. It's like the whole thing was staged to get us out of the game. Sanchez, the guy that I caught in the parking lot, will call Manuel today and confirm via a newspaper headline that two Dade County Detectives have passed on as a result of arsenic poisoning. Then he will arrange to collect his money and we will nab Manuel and let him lead us to Rameros."

"Nice. That should get the bastards to back off while I get back onto my feet." Sonny says hoping that he will be out of here in a day or two.

"When you get back on you feet, you are going to use them to go straight home and relax on a two week sick leave…."

"No way Rico! I'm going to work this case with you. Hell they almost had me fit for a body bag." Sonny says as he angrily sits up.

_Aaaahhh hell, so much for not feeling nauseous_ Sonny groans as he places one hand on his stomach and the other on his forehead. The throbbing in his head has intensified causing his vision to blur and the stomach cramps have come back with a vengeance.

"Sonny calm down and lie back. I'll get a nurse." Tubbs says with concern etched in his face, as he rushes out of the room just as Ashley comes out of the bathroom.

"Sonny?" Ashley says as she walks up to Sonny and notices the strain on his face.

"What is it?" She asks as she places a hand on his forehead.

"Pain.. nausea… cramps… The usual arsenic poisoning crap." He groans as the spasms in his stomach get worse. Ashley pushes his blanket down and places her hand under his gown, on to his stomach and she starts to massage it in anticlockwise direction. Her hand is cool against skin and he looks at her confused by what she is doing.

"Its part of Aromatherapy massage and it is meant to settle a cramping tummy." Ashley answers as she presses the nurse station buzzer. She continues to massage his tummy and by some miracle Sonny actually starts to feel some relief. But at the same time he starts to feel other things too and it feels really good. As the door to the ward opens, Ashley removes her hand and straightens the blanket out. Sonny immediately misses the contact and Ashley smiles at him as she is glad that she was able to make him forget his discomfort for a while. Pat arrives with Sonny's medication followed by Tubbs.

Tubbs walks up to Ashley and asks, "Doc, is he going to get through this okay?"

Ashley looks at Tubbs and she says, "You guys are really close aren't you?" She observes as Pat gives Sonny a shot and he curses.

"Sonny is my partner and he's the closest thing I have to a brother. So yes we are close."

"Ricardo the next few days are going to be tough but I think that he will be fine if he can just take it easy for a week or two. The medication is drawing the poison out of his body but his body will still feel residual effects for weeks to come. Nausea, cramps and headaches are the most common for up to 4 weeks after the treatment is completed. I will keep a close eye on him for you. So don't worry too much. Just get the guys who did this so that Sonny will be able to take it easy once he is discharged from the hospital."

"Thanks Doc and we are working on getting these guys as we speak." Tubbs says as he notices that Sonny is dozing off again.

"I'll call you later today with an update on his condition." Ashley reassures as she gets back into her bed.

Tubbs smiles and nods at her as he walks out the door.

Back in the interrogation room, Stan and Castillo set up the phone line and recorder.

"Sanchez, you're on. Say one wrong thing and you will be spending 15 in the slammer." Stan warns as he looks at his watch and realizes that it is 2:30 already.

"Dial the number." Castillo says in his usual quiet voice.

The interrogation room is white with a mirror on the one wall. There is one table with 2 chairs. It is small and perfect for intimidating suspected criminals.

"I dunno about this. Manuel, he will kill me…" Sanchez says as he tries to push away from the table.

Tubbs walks into the room and looks from Sanchez to Stan to the Lt.

"Our friend here is having second thoughts." Stan says as he leans against the wall.

"Do you need to feel that needle again to help you reconsider, scumbag." Tubbs asks vehemently as he leans across the table, his face only inches away from Sanchez's.

"No! No! This cop is mad.." Sanchez says as he looks at Castillo.

"You have up to the count of 3 to co-operate. After that we are leaving this room and you will have to deal with this cop on your own. 1…. 2….." Castillo calmly says.

"Okay. Okay…… The number is 558 434561."

Stan dials the number and sets up all the monitoring devices as Tubbs pulls away from the table and takes a deep breathe.

As the call is answered they hear, "Manuel."

"Yeh, Is me boss." Sanchez says.

"Sanchez. Is it done?"

"Don't jou read the paper? Both jour cops be dead this morning. The story, she's in this morning's paper. So what about my money?"

"Be at the docks tonight at 10:00pm. Your money will be waiting for you." Manuel says in a bored voice.

"I want jou to be there in person so that I can shake jour hand and maybe talk about some other opportunities for me to work with you."

"I do not meet with dirt bags like you." Manuel replies with a sneer.

"Hey listen. Jou better be there else I can arrange for you to be floating down face down in the Bay and then I will contact Mr. Rameros and take your place." Sanchez threatens as Tubbs stares hard at him.

"Stop threatening me. You want to meet. I'll meet you." Manuel replies as he thinks, _then I will put a bullet between your eyes myself_.

"See jou later, Senhor." Sanchez says as he hangs up.

"Stan?" Castillo asks.

"He is in the centre of town. But I do not have an exact fix. Sorry Lt."

"It does not matter Lt. We will set up at docks at 8 and be waiting for the bastard." Tubbs says as he leaves the room to start preparing for the night ahead.

Back at the hospital later that afternoon Ashley is feeling bored. So she gets out of bed and hooks up her earphones to the radio panel in the wall and starts switching through the various radio stations. Her shoulder is tight but the pain is bearable. She looks over at Sonny and he is still asleep. Pat had confirmed that they were sedating him deliberately because of the side effects of the poison. _Oh Sonny_, _It felt good to touch you. You are so smooth and firm and the look on your face as the pain subsided and another emotion took hold was so arousing, she_ thinks.As she finds a station that she likes she puts the music up a bit and soon she is gently swaying to the music.

Sonny hears a soft buzzing sound as he starts to come to. The sun is setting and through its glare he sees a vision of a woman swaying sensuously. He blinks to try and clear his vision and as she comes closer to his bed he reaches his left hand out to her and caresses her hip. She stops swaying abruptly and he hears her say as if from a distance, "Hi Handsome." She leans into him and he thinks, _you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. Long dark hair, tall slim body, generous bosom and nicely flaring hips. _He continues to caress her and he moves his hand up from her hip to her side that then up to her shoulder as he starts to draw her closer to him. Ashley leans over him and allows him to touch her. She feels drawn to him and she gently places her hand on his cheek and waits in anticipation to see what's going to happen next.

"Ashley," he whispers softly as her face comes to a stop just above his and her soft, warm fingers caress his cheek and forehead. He moves his hand up to her hair. _So silky soft_. And then he pulls her the remaining few millimeters to his mouth. As his lips touch hers, she sighs out in contentment. That is all the encouragement that Sonny needs to take the kiss to the next level. He starts to move his lips hungrily across hers as his hand starts to caress the back of her head. She matches his intensity as she runs her tongue across his lips and into his mouth. He usually likes to be in control but her taking the lead increases his passion tenfold. They moan and sigh into each others mouths as the kiss deepens and their passions rise. Ashley gets onto the bed and lies practically on top of him as she starts to kiss his neck and his shoulder. Both of them have forgotten their injuries, discomfort and pain. They are focused exclusively on the feelings that are bubbling up between them.

"Sonny, you make me feel so incredible." she whispers between kisses.

"I can't get enough of you. Get out of your gown." Sonny whispers as he too starts to kiss her neck and shoulder. He want to touch and feel and taste all of her. Ashley hesitates of a second before accepting that she wants to take this to the next level. Sonny waits with bated breath as he sees the emotions fly across her face and he almost shouts out in relief as she slowly removes her hospital issue gown.

In the aftermath of their passion, Ashley pulls the blanket up to cover them. As she lies across Sonny's chest with their arms and legs entwined and as she tries to catch her breath she says, "That was amazing."

"It was better than amazing." Sonny says as her he kisses her forehead.

"So, where to from here? You must know that I want to get to know you better and that I definitely want to be with you like this again." Sonny says a few minutes later.

"Well, I guess that next time I should invite you to my bed, since we used yours this time." Ashley says a few minutes later as she nips his chest with a huge smile on her face.

Sonny laughs out loud as he hugs her close and kisses her deeply.

_**Stay tuned for more between Ashley and Sonny and of course more about the case.**_


End file.
